English dictionary
wait
nounPronunciation
/weɪt/
/weɪt/
Audio pronunciation
Parts of speech
Definitions
noun
- A delay.
- An ambush.
- One who watches; a watchman.
- (in the plural) Hautboys, or oboes, played by town musicians.
- (in the plural) Musicians who sing or play at night or in the early morning, especially at Christmas time; serenaders; musical watchmen. [formerly waites, wayghtes.]
verb
- To delay movement or action until the arrival or occurrence of; to await. (Now generally superseded by “wait for”.)
- To delay movement or action until some event or time; to remain neglected or in readiness.
- To wait tables; to serve customers in a restaurant or other eating establishment.
- To attend on; to accompany; especially, to attend with ceremony or respect.
- To attend as a consequence; to follow upon; to accompany.
- To defer or postpone (especially a meal).
- To remain chaste while one's lover is unavailable.
Example sentences
I had a very long wait at the airport security check.
They lay in wait for the patrol.
Wait here until your car arrives.
She used to wait down at the Dew Drop Inn.
to wait dinner